Have you noticed a correlation between change in avatar and change in tone?

[Que]

I assume that when people change avatars it is more or less on a whim, and not necessarily related to a major life change or even a minor mood swing. I assume their style and tone remains more or less consistent. Same person, different avatar. Yes they see their own avatar but after they post so unless it has kitties for major mood elevation throughout the day, they haven't changed.

Yet a time or two, I have noticed that I have seem them in a different light right around the time they changed avatars. I am sure some may have lowered (slightly) my opinion of a poster, but I never noticed. I have, though noticed several times someone that I had a neutral, didn't notice, or negative opinion suddenly seem more friendly and approachable (to me.)

Again I assume the change was merely my perception not their style, delivery, or interest in me.

One that comes to mind that is safe to say was Byron. He had an avatar that apparently (I know now) is Moog by his synthesizer. I didn't know what the avatar signified, and formed no conscious opinion about it. I found Byron to be sort of pedantic and stern in correcting things he found awry in my posts. I didn't really know him, and didn't get the idea he had much interest in interacting with me one way or the other.

Then he changed to the last one, the Doc Holiday one. A favorite movie of mine, so it was a bit of an icebreaker. Suddenly whenever Byron chided me, I heard Val Kilmer ribbing me. It went from "hey I don't know you well enough for you to give me shit..." to the feel of an inside joke. As far as I know, nothing changed but my perception of him based on his avatar.

I had another recently...no bad blood, but I sensed an older person, I have no idea why (the avatar didn't lean that way lets just say it was a character, not a person) possibly not American, and for whatever reason just seemed less common ground. New avatar was a person, not even supposed to be a handsome person I don't think I couldn't tell you what it is as I write. But suddenly, there was a similar upbringing and I didn't sense that before at all.

Anyone notice anything similar?

Are there rules of thumb? These sorts of avatars are trouble, these tend to be interesting, these tend to be friendly, like that?

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

I assume that when people change avatars it is more or less on a whim, and not necessarily related to a major life change or even a minor mood swing. I assume their style and tone remains more or less consistent. Same person, different avatar. Yes they see their own avatar but after they post so unless it has kitties for major mood elevation throughout the day, they haven't changed.

Yet a time or two, I have noticed that I have seem them in a different light right around the time they changed avatars. I am sure some may have lowered (slightly) my opinion of a poster, but I never noticed. I have, though noticed several times someone that I had a neutral, didn't notice, or negative opinion suddenly seem more friendly and approachable (to me.)

Again I assume the change was merely my perception not their style, delivery, or interest in me.

One that comes to mind that is safe to say was Byron. He had an avatar that apparently (I know now) is Moog by his synthesizer. I didn't know what the avatar signified, and formed no conscious opinion about it. I found Byron to be sort of pedantic and stern in correcting things he found awry in my posts. I didn't really know him, and didn't get the idea he had much interest in interacting with me one way or the other.

Then he changed to the last one, the Doc Holiday one. A favorite movie of mine, so it was a bit of an icebreaker. Suddenly whenever Byron chided me, I heard Val Kilmer ribbing me. It went from "hey I don't know you well enough for you to give me shit..." to the feel of an inside joke. As far as I know, nothing changed but my perception of him based on his avatar.

I had another recently...no bad blood, but I sensed an older person, I have no idea why (the avatar didn't lean that way lets just say it was a character, not a person) possibly not American, and for whatever reason just seemed less common ground. New avatar was a person, not even supposed to be a handsome person I don't think I couldn't tell you what it is as I write. But suddenly, there was a similar upbringing and I didn't sense that before at all.

Anyone notice anything similar?

Are there rules of thumb? These sorts of avatars are trouble, these tend to be interesting, these tend to be friendly, like that?

What I observe is how others respond to avatar changes. Shirt and shoes are required everywhere.

 

[Never]

In the past, I'd often spend hours going over avatars and seeing how they changed the texture of the words attached to them. I'd even switch people's avatars around to see if their post read differently.

These days, I find it difficult to read an entire post, let alone weigh the various elements of it in my head.

 

[Que]

What I observe is how others respond to avatar changes. Shirt and shoes are required everywhere.

I have observed a few that seem to feel jockstraps were optional. That cannot be effective, I think.

Hmmm. You toss my query on its head to good effect. I need to ponder that.

As query, I had a very clear shot of me, then I had a minor stalking/misunderstanding with the madam nee Query, then to the mirror pic. The latest is just a slightly handsomer version of m mirror pic with Yul starring for me.

I, of course have used different avatars for other uses, else it would be apparent the were other me. Queer~Vader was supposed to be cartoon me and was surprisingly well received despite its purposefully less than sunny tasking.

Several people told me they preferred him. Not the avatar, mind...him. His personality.

I have one that few people ever notice or speak to, and no one ever picks a fight with. One has no avatar, I think...long time I would have to check.

One has an avatar to go with its personality and that seems to be congruent.

All are treated differently than me, but I assumed it was because I voiced each differently.

 

[Que]

In the past, I'd often spend hours going over avatars and seeing how they changed the texture of the words attached to them. I'd even switch people's avatars around to see if their post read differently.

These days, I find it difficult to read an entire post, let alone weigh the various elements of it in my head.

In the vein of "a picture is worth 100 words" you would think I would have given this conscious thought before but I never have.

I think of it like 'flair" at Bennigins. As an icebreaker for people you completely don't know... and that is it. Like me, in a bar, in this hat or that.

Never considered how it alters "voice."

 

[girlsmiley]

Absolutely yes.

 

[1sickbastard]

In the vein of "a picture is worth 100 words" you would think I would have given this conscious thought before but I never have.

I think of it like 'flair" at Bennigins. As an icebreaker for people you completely don't know... and that is it. Like me, in a bar, in this hat or that.

Never considered how it alters "voice."

Yah, if one has the av option engaged, one's av does say something about the person using it.
What an av may convey is open to interpretation and what one intends for an av to convey may or may not be what is actually conveyed.

Sometimes it's interesting to turn off the av option and just look at the text and what the individual is saying.

 

[Que]

Yah, if one has the av option engaged, one's av does say something about the person using it.
What an av may convey is open to interpretation and what one intends for an av to convey may or may not be what is actually conveyed.

Sometimes it's interesting to turn off the av option and just look at the text and what the individual is saying.

I am definitely going to try that. I used to always have avatars off. Too many rude ones and to likely to have a small one over my shoulder without notice.

It occurs to me that even if I shared, like 'Hey sicko, I like (dana carvey?) better than (godzilla?) it would do you know good. That just tells you what appeals to me and your audience is wider than that.

(note that it never matters if you get what an AV actually is, or what out of the corner of your eye you think it is)

I thought for the longest time that biden~times AVE was a braying, small donkey. I thought the cat (squirrel) in the dogs mouth was the teeth. Shows you how much attention I pay and how bad my eyesight/screen size is getting. The best distance to view is not the best distance to type. I need longer arms or new glasses.

 

[1sickbastard]

One could probably write an essay of several thousand words breaking down the various av's used into archtypes. The one thing I have noticed is that guys who use pix of their cocks for their av's (cockatars) usually think:
1) Their cock is so damn nifty that the women of Lit will trip over their own fingers to send them pm's.
2) These guys have zero game, little social interaction skills and would have trouble getting laid at an all-hetero-women sex addiction group
3) Their av (cockatar) is, in fact, an accurate description of their personalities. That is to say, they're dicks. They get very angry when any woman on lit ignores their unsolicited pm's and requests to im, voice, cam or whatever.
4) The funny thing is they do everyone a tremendous favor as many of the women with whom I've interacted drop these guys onto their iggy lists from the get-go.

 

[Que]

One could probably write an essay of several thousand words breaking down the various av's used into archtypes. The one thing I have noticed is that guys who use pix of their cocks for their av's (cockatars) usually think:
1) Their cock is so damn nifty that the women of Lit will trip over their own fingers to send them pm's.
2) These guys have zero game, little social interaction skills and would have trouble getting laid at an all-hetero-women sex addiction group
3) Their av (cockatar) is, in fact, an accurate description of their personalities. That is to say, they're dicks. They get very angry when any woman on lit ignores their unsolicited pm's and requests to im, voice, cam or whatever.
4) The funny thing is they do everyone a tremendous favor as many of the women with whom I've interacted drop these guys onto their iggy lists from the get-go.

All of the above is true, anecdotally and it makes sense psychologically. But what have you also described? The same mindset as a flasher. They want to intrude, to offend, to shock. They crave the reaction and it need not be positive for them to get their misshapen dicks hard.

Is it gay to notice that almost universally, none of them have attractive looking members? I am assuming what is attractive based on the fact that the urologist dictated "normal development" for mine, and that mine more or less is shaped like the silicon one sees in an adult shop.

 

[Que]

BTW great example Never. Your avatar earlier was what? - a dessicated, desert steer's skull maybe? Not sure. I assigned it a gender neutral voice in my head without thinking about it. Your same post now reads very feminine in my head.

You didn't change type face but before the sigline was just unassuming, now it looks feminine.

 

[Que]

Absolutely yes.

What was yours before?...This is the only one I have in my head for you for what seems like a long time.

 

[oggbashan]

My avatar doesn't change.

 

[Never]

Outside of disease, disfigurement, or hygiene issues, I'd suggest that whether a penis is attractive or not is due to lighting and the skill of the photographer.

 

[1sickbastard]

Is it gay to notice that almost universally, none of them have attractive looking members? I am assuming what is attractive based on the fact that the urologist dictated "normal development" for mine, and that mine more or less is shaped like the silicon one sees in an adult shop.

I should think it's only gay if said cockatars trigger arousal in a man.

 

[1sickbastard]

My avatar doesn't change.

This is true. You are possibly the most unchanging av holder active on the forums.

 

[Que]

My avatar doesn't change.

Longevity might have an effect on perception as well, might it not?

I perceive you as the same yesterday today and forever kind of guy. I think that is because of cues like age, mild temperament and so forth but maybe partly because you always looked just like whoever that is. The former Mrs. Query knows I am an idiot about all things English. She was in charge of all of that.

 

[Que]

Outside of disease, disfigurement, or hygiene issues, I'd suggest that whether a penis is attractive or not is due to lighting and the skill of the photographer.

I defer to your wealth of experience in the matter, but either a lot of them have really poor photographers, or there is some disfigurement. I dunno. Maybe I am projecting some self loathing.

Penii are ridiculous to own. They flop about unless they are restrained in one's shorts whilst flaccid. They are a bit less all over the place when erect but you cannot walk with dignity I feel with a naked, erect penis. It sways like one of those sicks you balance plates on.

They seem to mind their business mostly if their keepers are lying flat on their backs.

 

[1sickbastard]

Alberta Boy is another who never seems to change his av. It always seems to be that Johnny Cash lp cover.

 

[Never]

BTW great example Never. Your avatar earlier was what? - a dessicated, desert steer's skull maybe? Not sure. I assigned it a gender neutral voice in my head without thinking about it. Your same post now reads very feminine in my head.

You didn't change type face but before the sigline was just unassuming, now it looks feminine.

I expect few posters remember me. If I kept my previous avatar, half of them would decide I was a man.

Switching is easier than bringing up my gender over and over again.

I agree with you, query, that it adds a touch of femininity.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

I defer to your wealth of experience in the matter, but either a lot of them have really poor photographers, or there is some disfigurement. I dunno. Maybe I am projecting some self loathing.

Penii are ridiculous to own. They flop about unless they are restrained in one's shorts whilst flaccid. They are a bit less all over the place when erect but you cannot walk with dignity I feel with a naked, erect penis. It sways like one of those sicks you balance plates on.

They seem to mind their business mostly if their keepers are lying flat on their backs.

A carpenter never blames his tools, hon.

 

[Ishmael]

I expect few posters remember me. If I kept my previous avatar, half of them would decide I was a man.

Switching is easier than bringing up my gender over and over again.

I agree with you, query, that it adds a touch of femininity.

I remember you. WB

Ishmael

 

[oggbashan]

Longevity might have an effect on perception as well, might it not?

I perceive you as the same yesterday today and forever kind of guy. I think that is because of cues like age, mild temperament and so forth but maybe partly because you always looked just like whoever that is. The former Mrs. Query knows I am an idiot about all things English. She was in charge of all of that.

That is a picture of the real me playing Henry VIII in the open air. I'm older now, and even then the beard was white but dyed with stage make-up.

 

[butters]

Q, avatars definitely affect how people are read in their posts as the mind makes subconscious judgements that influence the overall impression. the effect may become less pronounced with familiarity of the poster, but a new avatar can start the ball rolling again. it's a constant weighing up of our perceptions drawn from the image and those garnered from the words of the posts. once a poster is well-established, character-wise, in my head, the avatars do very little to change my perception of them; with a newer member, a really gross av might see them relegated to ignore, and a really artistic/funny/cute one might first colour my impression of them more than i'd like.

personally, i change mine when i get too bored and choose whatever pleases me at the time rather than going for something i hope to win friends and influence others with.

 

[Riles]

I usually have mine turned off, so my perception of someone is almost always based on their words. However, I assume most people change them up according to their various moods. I do.

Who I am doesn't change even if how I respond just might, but I guarantee it's the same me as it's always been....you just may not have been the recipient of a certain tone.